Beyond Blue Frontiers

by Cecilia Randell

“Get Levi out to the barn. Etu just showed up. I can’t tell what’s going on, but it’s not good.”

  The line disconnected, and a bare two minutes later, the sound of pounding boots reached her. She really needed to see what was going on. She pushed at Beast, growing frantic at not being able to see. What if this was a trap?

  “Blue, calm down. They’re fine.” Forrest squeezed in next to her, and she stilled.

  I really have to get a handle on this panic thing. She took a breath, then another. A third one finally had her heart slowing down. “Tell me what’s happening.”

  “They’re taking Etu to the inn; he’s in pretty bad shape. I’m going to stay with you until Beast and the babies calm down. Trevon and one of his men are up at the front of the barn on watch. Mo’ata thinks the animals were able to sense something wrong coming, and that’s why they freaked. Hopefully it was just Etu arriving, but he wants you here in case it’s more than that.”

  In case Phillip was also around. He didn’t say it aloud, but she knew.

  Chapter 17

  BLUE

  An hour passed. At least. Beast relaxed enough to let her out of the corner, but he continued to block her each time she went for the stall door. The cubs also refused to leave their posts on the stall walls.

  Trevon was keeping them updated, but so far there wasn’t much to know. Etu had been settled in a bed and given food, then he’d fallen asleep.

  “I hate waiting.” Blue picked up a handful of the straw on the stall floor and tossed it.

  “Don’t pout.” Forrest frowned and crossed his arms.

  That’s a pout. She almost pointed it out, but she wasn’t in the mood for teasing.

  Her comm pinged, and she snatched it up from where it lay in front of her. “Yes?”

  “Etu is stable, and he has information for us. As soon as Beast allows, head to the rooms. We need to coordinate.” Mo’ata’s voice was curt, and he didn’t wait for a reply.

  As if that call was a signal, Beast moved away from the stall door and the cubs jumped down from their perches. She hurried out of there, Forrest right behind her. Trevon glanced back at the creak of the stall door and nodded. He fell in behind her, a little to the right, while Forrest stayed on her left. His man, Killian, was behind him.

  As a group they hurried to the inn’s side door. She paused and scooped up Garfield, who was weaving in and out of their feet, and Forrest did the same with Vivi. Felix waited for them at the top of the stairs and gestured them into Mo’ata and Forrest’s room.

  Etu lay there, skin ashen, just like Levi’s had been. His eyes were open, though, and Levi helped him sip from a glass of water.

  Etu’s gaze fixed on her as she sank into a free chair at the low table tucked into a corner. “I couldn’t stop him.” Trevon moved to her side and quietly translated. A mix of emotions passed over Etu’s face, finally settling on fear mixed with regret. His voice lowered. “I tried to get the crystal away, but I fear I was too late. I should have stopped this long ago.”

  Levi grunted but held his silence. She could only imagine what was going through his mind right now.

  “Why are you here?” Mo’ata’s cold tones sliced through the room.

  Etu’s eyes closed. “I need your help to stop him.”

  When Trevon relayed this, suddenly all Blue wanted to do was slap this man. How dare he? Us help him? It should be the other way around. “You’re the one who started this in the first place. All we’ve been trying to do is stop it.” Her voice was as cold as Mo’ata’s. Garfield, now in her lap, rose to his paws, balancing carefully on her knees, and growled.

  Etu’s eyes widened at her harsh tone.

  “He has no idea what I’m saying, does he?”

  Trevon chuckled. “No, but I believe he got the idea.”

  Blue glared at him. “I’m still mad at you, too.”

  He held up his hands. “Noted.” He tilted his head to the scene unfolding. “Now quiet, and let me translate.”

  Forrest moved closer to them, his expression closed, but he listened intently to Trevon’s murmured translations.

  Felix pulled up the maps they’d been working with, the small colored dots of confirmed sightings standing out like a galaxy of stars. Etu indicated an area, and Felix zoomed in. A new dot appeared.

  They had confirmation of where Phillip was staying.

  “He is not there now.” Etu collapsed back on the bed. “He was muttering, talking about making ‘them’ pay for trying to take what was his. I thought he was coming here.”

  “How did you know where we were staying?” Felix growled.

  Etu rolled his eyes. “It was not hard. You stand out, all of you. And rumors of a new Faust have been going for days.” He gestured, and Levi stiffly propped him up and helped with another sip of water. “I’ve known where you were for a while, but I didn’t tell Phillip. The promise of getting his hands on the girl is all that’s kept him in check. If he had her, I think nothing would hold him back.”

  An image of Phillip as she’d last seen him flashed before her. His face gaunt, pale. He’d looked… haunted.

  Trevon leaned closer to her, and a slightly musky scent filled her nose and a tickle started in the back of her throat. She sneezed. “Sorry, I think I’m allergic to you. Or whatever it is you’re wearing.”

  His eyes widened then crinkled at the corners. “Also noted.” He pulled away a little. “Levi, Felix, and I think we hit upon something that could contain the crystal, or at least block the connection. That is what Levi and Etu are talking over now.”

  “What is it?” There was an edge to Forrest’s voice, and Blue took his hand, squeezing.

  Trevon glanced at their hands. “It’s an alloy from Turamm. It’s used mostly for shielding from surveillance, but there was a note on some of my father’s papers and research indicating it may have had an effect on the crystal’s powers.” His words were easy, almost casual.

  Is he really that unaffected by everything that’s happened? She studied him, and their gazes locked. “Think it will work?”

  A flicker in his eye, a tightening of his lips. Not emotionless, then. “I think it’s our only chance,” he finally said.

  He turned his head to Forrest, and blue eyes met blue eyes. So pretty. Yes, I admit it, I like blue. She suppressed a smile. Now was not the time to go off on tangents.

  Something that may have been remorse softened Trevon’s expression. “I will forever regret what befell your cousin. Please know that. I had given strict orders to have all weapons on stun. I do not mean it as an excuse, but know that the man who fired to kill was… taken care of. If there is ever anything I can do for you, you have only to call upon me. Blue was correct, I owe you.”

  Forrest glanced between the two of them then narrowed his eyes on Trevon. His lips thinned as he clutched Blue’s hand harder.

  She held her breath, waiting for what he would say.

  “Give me a penny.”

  Her shoulders slumped, and tension drained out of her. Forrest had just called a truce.

  “A penny?” A bemused smile crossed over Trevon’s face.

  A sharp nod from Forrest. “A penny. Blue can explain it some time, but the short version is, for the big stuff, we don’t do apologies. We do pennies. I’ll cash it in when I’m ready. And believe me, this one will be big.”

  “A penny, then. All right.” He reached into a small pouch hanging from his belt and pulled out an Earth penny. “You’re lucky I keep this with me. I will definitely want it back. It has a…significance to me. I will tell you the story when you redeem it.”

  Forrest took the penny and clenched it in his palm. “Deal.”

  “And call me Trev, please. Trevon is too formal.” He gave a small bow of his head. He sent a grin in Blue’s direction. “That offer is for you, too, little star.”

  Forrest stiffened, and Blue once again tightened her fingers around his hand. Not now, she tried to send through that connection. Not now. He opened his mouth
to reply but was cut off by the shrill sound of four comms going off at once.

  Felix looked at the message, and the color drained from his face. “Is Sora. Another murder. Close to inn. I go.” He snatched up a coat and was almost through the door when Mo’ata brought him up short, a hand on his forearm.

  “Not alone.” He looked around at the people gathered and indicated Killian. “If you would?”

  After confirmation from Trevon, the two of them left with a promise to check in once they had more details.

  In the tense silence that followed, Blue’s next question rang louder than she’d thought it would. “So, will this alloy work?”

  Levi and Etu exchanged a few more words as Mo’ata’s face grew red and Trevon’s grew colder. Finally, Levi threw a hand in the air, and Blue was afraid he would strike Etu. Not afraid, really, but they needed the man conscious.

  “Levi,” she said, a warning in her tone. The big man tensed but lowered his hand. “What’s the verdict?”

  Trevon growled. “The verdict is that Etu has a death wish, but it is just possible the alloy may block some of the connection or hamper the power in some way.”

  “So we just need to get some of this and get the crystal contained.” She let go of Forrest and crossed the room until she stood in front of the small Prizzoli as he lay prone. “Then we need to get the crystal away from Phillip and Phillip away from people.” Her words were slow, musing. A plan, only slightly modified from her earlier version, slowly formed. It was one none of them were going to like. “I have an idea.”

  “No.” Five voices rang out as one, even Levi’s.

  Well, at least they’re all acting in agreement. I guess that’s a good thing. “You haven’t even heard the idea.”

  Forrest crossed his arms. “Don’t need to. I know that expression. It’s the same one you get when you think of a great plot twist and are about to kill someone off in one of your stories.”

  Trevon nodded. “I don’t know about any stories, but that’s the look of someone about to get into mischief.”

  “You are not becoming bait.” Mo’ata’s statement was much more direct.

  Levi didn’t say anything, but that man’s silence could sometimes be very loud.

  Then Jason stepped forward. He looked her over then nodded. “Let’s at least hear her out.”

  Relief filled her. At least someone was willing to listen to her without putting up too much of a fight. She beamed at him, and the others groaned but didn’t protest. “So, here’s what I was thinking…”

  Chapter 18

  BLUE

  Blue, seated atop Beast, shivered as a cold wind sliced through the air, finding little openings in her coat to sneak through. She looked over the clearing they had decided to use for the meeting. It was about twenty feet across, not too large, and surrounded not only by trees, but also with thick brush in places—perfect for the men to hide.

  It had taken all of her skills at persuasion to convince the others. Once again, Jason had stepped in and pointed out that she was probably the only one who could get Phillip out of the city and to a particular spot. Forrest had wanted to try himself, but eventually even he had to concede that the allure she held for their former friend was greater and had a better chance at success.

  When Felix returned and reported in, it only further confirmed Blue’s resolve to end this. The latest victim was a taller man with a red beard, similar in height and coloring to Mo’ata. In addition to being drained, he’d also been… hurt. Felix refused to go into details, but the haunted look in his eyes told her it was not mild.

  Phillip was beyond control. Which they already knew; this just made it more… real.

  Something rustled in the branches of a tree across from her, and her hands tightened on the reins. Soon.

  She’d had a rough idea when she spoke up yesterday, but it was the cubs who’d solidified it. She’d been trying to think of a place away from people, a place to ambush Phillip. Warehouses, the frozen fields, an empty house, all of these had been suggested. And all of them vetoed for one reason or another. Then an image had popped into her mind: a piquet, grown, crouching on a tree limb as its prey passed by underneath. Then one of Beast running through trees and toward a mountain.

  “Smart babies,” she said now. She couldn’t wait to see what they’d become, fully-grown. The old jokes about cats really being gods in disguise and ruling the world secretly didn’t seem so far-fetched right now. She’d jokingly said as much to Mo’ata at one point when the others were out of the room. He’d gone silent. Then slowly, cautiously warned her against talking about things like that around the others. Was there more to the piquet? More than D’rama had told her? Probably. She’d tried to ask him more, but he’d just said they would talk about it later, after Phillip was taken care of.

  So she’d started a new list, titled “The List of Things Someone Doesn’t Want to Talk About.” The title was too long, so she’d shortened it to “The Secret List.”

  More movement, this time in the shadows of the trail leading to the clearing. Two figures approached, one short and slight, the other taller and thinner than she liked.

  They emerged into the low light that filtered through the cloud layer, and Blue’s breath caught. No matter what he had done, she couldn’t stop thinking of Phillip as a friend. Or at least as someone who could have been a friend. There I go, thinking of what-ifs.

  He looked worse than the brief glimpse she’d gotten outside the shop or the images they’d found on the surveillance footage. His face was pale, almost gray, like the crystal was sucking out not only the lives of others, but his as well. The dark scarf wrapped around his head and neck looked like a cowl, and with the bruised-looking hollows at his cheeks and temples, he looked like Death.

  Damn.

  Her eyes traveled past him and to Etu, who shook his head slightly. He hadn’t been able to get the crystal yet. She took a breath. Okay, Plan B.

  Adrenaline surged through her, and her vision sharpened, her thoughts stilled. Her stomach tightened, but the sensation was distant, muffled. All her attention was focused on Phillip and what they had to do next.

  “Phillip!” Their gazes locked. As he drew closer, she could see a faint purple glow dancing in his eyes. So this wasn’t Phillip right now, not really. She dismounted and moved in front of Beast, keeping a firm hand on the reins. She expected the quorin to growl, protest, or kick up a fuss, but he held still, as if he knew his stillness was vital to the success of the next few minutes. Maybe he did.

  Phillip stopped a few feet from her, just out of reach. Etu arranged himself just behind and to the right of the taller man.

  She took a breath and dived in. “I’m here.”

  “You are.” Tones and sounds that didn’t belong to Phillip echoed in that voice. It was so wrong.

  “You’ve been looking for me.” Only through pure will did she keep the tremble from her words.

  He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, his head falling back. When their eyes next met, the purple glowed brighter, overwhelming any hint of the chocolate brown that might have lingered. “I have.” He held out a hand. “Come closer, little Blue, come closer.”

  She unclenched her hand from Beast’s reins and let them fall. She took a small step forward, keeping herself just out of his reach. “Let me see it. The crystal, let me see it.”

  His eyes narrowed, and his lips twisted. “I thought you understood. I am. It does not matter where. I am.”

  “What are you?”

  “I am death, and I am life. I am pain, and I am peace.”

  “You asked me once if I believed in God.”

  His face twisted, fury chasing bewilderment before settling into a blankness that was more terrifying than anything. “And you answered that you didn’t know.”

  “And you wondered about becoming one.” She softened her voice. “Let me see the crystal, Phillip. Prove to me what you have become.”

  He arched a brow. It broke her he
art, just a little. Images of Kevin and Phe flashed before her. Forrest. All the people who loved this boy. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a small bit of him buried in there.

  “How would that prove anything?”

  “How could a crystal possibly be a god?” Appeal to his vanity, Forrest had said. Call into question his superiority. Challenge his dominance.

  “You think I don’t know they’re there?” A small tendril of purple, its glow beautiful in the low light, snaked from a slightly raised finger and wound through a stand of bushes on the left. A muffled curse was soon followed by a low thump.

  Her heart skipped. Who had it been?

  She didn’t let her gaze waver. “That still proves nothing.” She put all the disgust she felt into those words, hoping for a reaction.

  She got one.

  His hand snaked into his coat, and he pulled out a softly glowing purple stone. He glanced between it, her, and Etu, then he tossed the crystal at the small Prizzoli as he lunged at her. She ducked, twisting to the side. The move had been instinctive. She didn’t want him touching her.

  Beast reared, his hooves striking out at Phillip, who jumped back. Though they didn’t connect, it gave her time to put some distance between them. Beast came down and temporarily blocked her view of the scene.

  Etu cried out, and Blue bolted around her mount. They needed that crystal. Phillip blocked her, and she spun away from him. She caught movement from the corner of her eye, and the goal shifted from getting to the crystal to keeping Phillip’s attention on her. She held out her hands, still careful not to touch him.

  Levi crept closer to Etu, a clutching a small box. Movement to her right showed her Trev, holding a circlet of the same alloy. Phillip started to turn in their direction, and she panicked. She needed his attention on her.

  She grabbed his hand.

  That purple light inched over her fingers and up her wrist. It didn’t hurt. It felt almost warm. A lassitude swept through her body, and her shoulders sagged. She met chocolate brown eyes overlaid by a soft, purple glow.